Naive
by EasyBrie-Z
Summary: What if Bella came to Forks after graduating from high school in Phoenix? Would she still feel the same about Edward? Would they be star-crossed lovers? Or would she develop feelings for Jacob instead. OOC for Bella. Please Review.
1. Chapter 1 Gross Error

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, but I do own my imagination of what if…_

_This is a Twilight redo …what if Bella had come to Forks after she graduated high school in Phoenix? Would she still end up meeting Edward and falling in love with him? Would they be star-crossed lovers after all?_

**Gross Error**

Life in Forks, Washington. I'd contemplated the move for months, but now that it was actually occurring I couldn't help but regret my decision. I had graduated only two weeks ago at which time, I was so elated of finally being free from the torturous bonds of high school, that I had agreed to move in with Charlie over the summer, before I went off to college.

_What the hell was I thinking? Damn high school freedom euphoria._

So here I was, riding with Charlie in his cruiser headed into Forks. _Please let these next three months go by quickly._

"I wanted to take you out for dinner tonight Bells. You know, celebrate your first night in town." Charlie smiled as he kept his eyes on the road. _Here we go._

"Umm…that sounds great Char…dad." I smiled nervously as I turned my head to stare out the passenger window. The term 'dad' felt so foreign. Charlie hadn't been a part of my life since my mother took me to live in Phoenix when I was younger. I couldn't fault him for this though; it was not his fault my mother chose to run away with me in a crazed frenzy to abandon Forks and Charlie. She was happily remarried now to Phil. They were so loving towards one another, to the point that it was almost sickening. Another plus for getting away from Phoenix.

The car started to slow as we made the turn onto a neighborhood street.

_We must be getting close._

I watched Charlie turned the wheel as we pulled in the driveway of the two story house. The house looked vaguely familiar, almost as if it was something I recalled from a dream. The fact that I hadn't been here since I was a toddler helped me deal with the feeling of déjà vu.

"Well, here we are." Charlie said as he opened the door to exit the cruiser. _Yes, here we are indeed._

I looked around the street as I exited the car. I half expected to see kids playing in the slick street. Then again, the wet weather probably kept everyone inside most of the time. I sighed, realizing there would be no sun in my life for at least three months. I walked around to the trunk of the car where Charlie had already grabbed most of my bags.

"Thanks, dad. I'll get the last two." I feigned a smile. I closed the trunk and proceeded to follow him into the house. He paused momentarily at the door before leaning down and removing a key from under the mat. He unlocked the door and walked inside holding the door for me. He watched me as I entered the house and stuck his hand out towards me.

"Here Bells. Welcome home." He dropped the key in my hand and turned to walk up the stairs.

"Umm, thanks." I said as I followed him up the stairs.

"I hope you like the improvements to your room. I didn't know what you liked so I just got the essentials. If you want something different, we can go out later and pick something out." He slowly opened the door to my room, dropping my bags by the wall of the entrance.

I entered slowly, afraid of what I might find. I looked around the room. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't up to my current standards. The room was painted lilac, with childhood drawings adorning the walls. In a corner to the left of the entrance was a desk with an old Compaq computer and a tube monitor. I'm sure Forks only had dial-up Internet service, which was good considering the computer was so old. I wouldn't want to accidently blow it up with high speed Internet.

Charlie had done his best to match the room's accents with the color of the walls. There was an eggplant colored comforter with various shades of throw pillows on the bed. The curtains were also a deep purple making me smile for a moment at the though of being able to sleep in without light, should the sun ever shine here. This would have to do for now.

"Thanks Charlie. It looks very comfortable." I said.

I didn't want to hurt his feelings and to be quite honest, the room didn't look that bad. I could live here. It was only for three months. Then it was off to Stanford University to begin life. I wasn't sure of what I would study, possibly something along the English Literary route, but I did hear they had a controversial Feminist Studies program. It might be nice to take a course or two.

Charlie looked around the room with his hands on his waist and then at me before turning and exiting the room. I didn't know what else to say. I didn't know what else to say, if anything. Us not having lived together made things very…uncomfortable. Not that I didn't love him. How could I not? He was my dad, but still a stranger that I talked to over the phone every now and then. Even with the talks, things were very short and awkward.

I brushed the thought from my mind and moved towards the chest of drawers to being unpacking.

After I had unpacked, I grabbed a change of clothes and some feminine items and headed towards the bathroom at the end of the hall. Traveling all day made me feel grimy. I stopped briefly outside the bathroom at what appeared to be the linen closet. Inside, there were blankets, towels, and miscellaneous items on the top shelf. I grabbed two towels and continued into the bathroom closing the door behind me. As I turned to lock the door, I noticed there was no lock.

_How odd._

I guess with Charlie living here by himself all this time, there was no need for privacy. Besides, he wouldn't dare come in here seeing the door closed. I turned on the shower and quickly undressed. I grabbed by honey-lilac shampoo from where I had sat it on the counter and hopped in the shower. I loved the smell of my shampoo, sweet, fresh and relaxing. I quickly finished my shower and toweled off the excess water. As I was finishing getting dressed there was a knock on the door.

"Bells, there's been a slight change in our plans. Billy has invited us down to La Push to have dinner with everyone. So I hope you're almost ready, we'll have to leave in about twenty minutes." Charlie spoke through the door.

"No problem dad. I'm almost ready." I said as I hurried a brush through my wet hair. Billy…Billy…who was Billy? I vaguely remembered Charlie mentioning him every now and then. Maybe it would all come back to me at dinner. I opened the door to take my belongings to my room. Charlie was standing in the doorway to his room, scratching his head like he was confused and had forgotten something.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

"Yeah, it's the funniest thing. I can't remember where I put my keys." He chuckled nervously.

"Oh, I saw you stick them in your pocket just before you grabbed the spare key." I said.

He reached down into his pocket, where there was a slight jingle and pulled out his keys. He laughed nervously again and shook his head as he proceeded to walk down the stairs. I entered my room and threw my things on my bed; they could be cleaned up later. I grabbed a jacket from one of the unpacked suitcases and ran towards the stairs to join Charlie. When I reached the landing, he was there waiting for me.

"You ready kid?" he asked.

"Not a kid anymore dad. And yes." I said as I walked out of the door.

I heard him sigh as he turned to lock the door. I walked around to the passenger side of the cruiser waiting for the door to be unlocked. I wondered if I would get a chance to drive it since it was the only vehicle Charlie had. What if I needed to go somewhere? I knew it was unlikely he would though. How would it look if the Chief of Police's daughter were riding around the city in the cruiser? It was government property after all.

Just then, Charlie unlocked the passenger door so that I could get in. I sighed as I closed the door, realizing that I might be confined to the house or permanently attached to Charlie if I wanted to go anywhere.

_Stupid Bella. You could have just gone straight to Stanford, but noooo, you had to feel all sympathetic for Charlie and promise to spend the summer with him._

The drive to La Push seemed to take an eternity. I thought about how green the coastline was, even under the dismal weather conditions. It was obvious the vegetation around here didn't require a lot of light. I wondered what the coastline in California would be like. All the surfers in the water and girls lounging in their swimsuits on the beach. Although it wasn't my scene, it would be heaven compared to this place. I couldn't wait.

_Ha ha, you act as if you had it so great when you were in Phoenix. Let's not forget how torturous high school was. It's quite likely, college will be the same._

I didn't have many friends. Well to be honest, my only friend was my mother. So I didn't have any friends in school. All the girls were tan, blonde and bubbly. The guys: athletic and handsome with nice cars. I was the pale, quiet, bookworm with slightly below average looks. I was never asked out on dates, invited to parties or even talked to on a regular basis. If it hadn't been for my constant clumsiness, I probably would have remained invisible.

I hadn't noticed we had arrived at our destination until I felt the car come to a stop. I looked up through the windshield at the dilapidated old house. It was slightly leaning to one side and the paint was chipped. A few people were standing on the porch; one was actually seated in a wheelchair.

"Well, we're here. It looks like everyone must be waiting on us." Charlie said as he opened his door to exit the car.

I followed his lead, remaining a few paces back. I wasn't sure what I was walking in to, but the people on the porch showed no sign of friendliness yet. As we neared the steps, the man in the wheelchair spoke.

"Hey Charlie. So glad you could join us. This must be Bella. Man, she's grown." He smiled at me.

"Yeah Billy, my little girl isn't so little any more." Charlie chuckled.

_So this is Billy_

"She's going off to Stanford University you know. In just three months."

"Yeah, yeah Charlie. We know, you've only told us a million times." Billy rolled his eyes and laughed at Charlie.

"Hi Bella, it's so good to see you again." He rolled his chair forward a bit then extended his hand to me.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you too." I said with a small smile as I looked down. I slowly raised my head to look at the rest of the faces on the porch. They all seemed to be watching me intently. One in particular seemed to have roaming eyes that kept traveling my body, up and down.

_What the hell? This guy better keep his eyes to himself._

"Oh don't mind the boys Bella, they're just hungry and have forgotten their manners." Billy gave them a stern look. The one closest to me took a step forward and spoke.

"Hi, I'm Seth." He smiled and shook my hand. I nodded a friendly hello as I shook and released his hand. He took a step back into his previous held position.

When neither one of the others stepped forward, Seth continued the introductions. "This is Quil and the one on the end is Jacob."

_So the ogling offender had a name. Jacob. _

Had it not been for the wandering eyes, I probably would have found him attractive. He was tall with dark black hair. His skin was a deep russet color and his skin seemed to be baby bottom smooth. I smiled and gave a little wave to Quil and Jacob before taking a step back so that I was on the other side of Charlie.

"Well Sue is inside with Leah preparing dinner. Harry couldn't make it. He was feeling a bit under the weather. I told him a nice cold beer and good food would kill what ails him, but I guess he was unconvinced." Billy said as he wheeled himself towards the front door.

Charlie shook his head and laughed as he put his hand on my back and ushered me in behind Billy. The boys followed after Charlie. Immediately, upon stepping foot into the house, I knew tonight was going to be interesting. The house was very small and there were barely places to sit three people, let alone eight.

_Thank goodness this Harry person decided not to come, I would have hated to have to sit on the floor to eat dinner._

Somehow, we all found places to sit and eat. As dinner progressed, I learned that Sue was Seth and Leah's mother and Harry was her husband. Billy, Harry and Charlie were all close friends and often liked to fish together on the weekends when Charlie wasn't on duty. Jacob, the ogler, was Billy's son. He was a couple of years younger than I was, but by the looks of it, he could have been the same age, if not older. They seem to grow them big at the Black house.

I ate my food in silence, while everyone talked amongst themselves. I was starting to feel tired, but didn't want to deprive Charlie of time with his friends. As I finished, my food I got up to take my plate into the kitchen.

"Oh no, Bella. Let me get that for you. You are a guest here." Jacob said reaching for my plate. His voice was deep, yet soft and filled with the innocence of adolescence. I froze, paralyzed from the kindness being displayed. Jacob hadn't said one word to me all night so I had assumed he was mute. Any guy that violated a girl with his eyes, as he did me earlier, would have most definitely said something a little sooner, right? I was confused by the sudden change in behavior.

"Bella, are you okay?" Charlie asked.

_Oh shit. They can see me. Smile Bella._

I quickly changed my expression. I nodded at Charlie.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking giving mom a call to tell her I made it safely, when we get home." I turned to face Jacob who was tugging on the plate that was still in my hand. I hadn't noticed I had been gripping it with such force.

"I'm sorry Jacob. Here you go." I handed the plate to him. "Thank you." I sat back down in my chair, keeping my eyes on his face.

"You're welcome." He smiled at me and turned to walk into the kitchen.

_Weird, but cute._

Jacob returned to the table with a goofy grin on his face.

"Hey guys, want to go out and see the car?" he said looking at Quil and Seth.

They both gave a resounding 'yes' and pushed back from the table. They walked outside, laughing and talking about something unintelligible. I looked at Leah to see if she was going to join them. She just rolled her eyes, as if this was a ritual for them whenever they had a "family" dinner.

"Bella," I heard Jacob call my name so I turned my attention back to him. "Do you want to come too?" he gave me a brilliant smile and I could see his teeth were unusually white.

_I didn't realize the dentists in this area were up on whitening technology._

"Uh, sure." I replied nonchalantly. I pushed back from the table and proceeded to walk towards the front door. Leah, determined not to be left out, chimed in.

"Aren't you going to ask me, Jacob?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and turned to her. "I already did Leah, Quil and Seth acknowledged the invitation and are already outside waiting for us."

Leah scowled at him and pushed back from the table. She walked towards the front door and shoved passed me and Jacob to get outside. Jacob chuckled at her stubbornness and looked at me.

"Follow me." He said as he opened the front door. It was dark outside now with the lights from inside of the house casting a faint glow onto the porch. We walked around to the side of the house towards the wooded area. There was a shack that stood off in the distance and through the cracked door I could see a light. As we approached the door, I could hear voices filled with laughter. Jacob opened the door and stepped inside.

"So what do you think of my progress?" Jacob asked the voices, which I assumed belonged to Seth, Quil and Leah. I stepped inside the shack to join the conversation.

"It's looking good Jake. It's almost drivable." Seth said, eyeing the faded yellow car. Jacob turned to me with a wide smile.

"This is a pet project of mine. I've been rebuilding it for the last few years and I'm almost finished. I just need a few more parts."

I eyed the car, not quite sure of its make and model. To think that he was capable of putting a car together from scratch was pretty impressive. As I walked around to the back, I saw the word 'RABBIT' written across the back. So it was a VW, which was even more impressive that he could rebuild the engineering of a foreign car.

"It looks nice. You're so lucky you know how to build these things. If I had that kind of knowledge, I'd try and build one within the next couple of weeks so I could get around this god-forsaken town." I realized after I spoke that I might have offended them.

_Great Bella, way to make an impression._

I looked up to look at Jacob and the rest of the group. They all seemed to be taking my comment lightly. Everyone, except for Leah that was. She was giving me the proverbial 'stink-eye'.

"Well, I'll just have to finish this up so I can give you a ride to where you need to go." Jacob said with a boastful smile on his face.

_Oh great, now what are you going to do? He thinks he's going to woo you. Quick, grab that wrench and beat that silly look off his face._

"Oh, no Jacob. I planned to just spend my summer studying and reading some classic novels, while hanging out with Charlie. I'm not really looking to go anywhere. Thank you for the kind gesture though." I said looking at Jacob.

He pouted looking like a kid that had just lost his little red balloon to the atmosphere. I felt bad for hurting his feelings, but I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. I was not in Forks to make long lasting relationships. This was just a layover, if you will, to my next destination. I immediately felt uncomfortable, as the silence was defining. Finally, the call of my name broke the silence.

"Bella" I heard Charlie shouting.

"Yeah, dad. We're in here." I said.

"Come on. It's late and we've got to get home." He shouted.

I took a moment to look around the room, giving everyone a sheepish smile. I got to the door and turned around to face everyone.

"It was nice meeting you all. Maybe I'll see you again soon." I said as I exited the shack.

_Damnit! You just gave them, or more so Jacob, an open invitation to see you again. You're such an idiot._

I speed walked towards the cruiser to get away from them, or him as fast as possible. Charlie was already situated in the car when I got in. He looked over at me and smiled and backed out of the driveway. As we pulled away, I saw Jacob step out of the shack. He waved as we backed out.

I was relieved to be going home or at least my temporary living quarters.

These next three months couldn't pass by quick enough.


	2. Chapter 2 Miscalculation

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, but I do own my imagination of what if…_

_This is a Twilight redo …what if Bella had come to Forks after she graduated high school in Phoenix? Would she still end up meeting Edward and falling in love with him? Would they be star-crossed lovers after all?_

_**A/N**: Okay, so this is the second chapter to Naïve and I'm looking for feedback at this point to let me know if I should continue and also to know if I should post my own story with my own characters (which I believe to be interesting, but of course I would because they're mine). Anywho, REVIEW pretty please. Thanks!_

**Miscalculation**

I awoke the next morning to a space filled with darkness. The dark curtains shielded the room from the faint light being cast from outside.

_Day Two. Come on, get up Bella. Time to see how miserable you'll be._

I rolled myself out of bed and grabbed a few clothes. I headed towards the bathroom to freshen up before going downstairs. Charlie had already left for the station, but not before leaving me a note on the kitchen table. I was in shock at was in the first line of the letter.

_Bella,_

_I have to go to the station today, but Jake called this morning and said that if you need to go anywhere just give him a call. His number is on the list by the phone, under Billy Black of course. If you need anything, or should you have an emergency, my number at the station is also on that list. _

_Dad_

I guess my asking to not being chauffeured around town hadn't worked. While it would have been nice to have some wheels at my disposal, I didn't think it was right to inconvenience someone else. Especially since that person was looking for more. It was funny though, it was Friday and since school wasn't out for another week here in Forks, I thought for sure Jacob would be in school. At that moment, my stomach growled.

_Hmm, I wonder what Charlie has in the way of food._

I quickly looked around the kitchen and noticed some cereal on top of the refrigerator. I quickly grabbed the box and went to the cabinet to pull out a bowl. After making myself a bowl and shoveling it all in, I cleaned the dishes and went in search of something to occupy my time.

I went upstairs to my room and turned on the computer. It took it forever to boot up and sounded like a 747 Jumbo Jet in doing so. Once it was up and running, I logged on to the Internet, this too took ages, to check my email. To my surprise, my mother had only sent me eight emails, since my arriving to Forks yesterday. The funny part was, she hadn't mentioned emailing me when I spoke with her last night on the phone. Granted it was a brief conversation mainly filled with the "I made it safely mom" line and the occasional "yes mom". Typical Renee, I loved her dearly though. She was my best friend.

I quickly opened up her first email, which was sent ten minutes after my plane had left the airport.

_Bella, are you there? _

_-Mom_

I laughed when I read it. Poor Renee. The downloading of the messages were taking way too long, so I knew that if it the rest were anything like the first, she didn't really want anything. I quickly composed a brief email to her thanking her for checking in on me and telling her that I loved her. After it was sent, I turned off the computer. It was just too slow for my taste.

In search of something to occupy my time, I tried to watch a little television. This made me more frustrated as I soon figured out I could only access 70 channels, none of them worth watching. I let out a deep sigh as I thought about calling Jacob. I decided against it.

I arose quickly from the couch and grabbed by jacket by the front door. I shoved the spare key Charlie had given me, into my pocket. I had to get out of the house. We had passed a library on our way in and out of town last night. It didn't seem like it was too far from the house, so I decided to walk, which would be an adventure in itself. Admittedly, my clumsiness had improved since I'd graduated, but who was I fooling, that was only two weeks ago.

_Just figure out where you're going and walk in that direction. Concentrate on walking, that is, once you've figured out where you're going. Common sense, Isabella Marie._

I emerged from the house, visualizing my route and began walking in that direction. The streets were quite, of course all the kids were still in school. I didn't have to worry about truant officers here, my father was the police chief, and so if anyone approached me, I'd just tell them who I was. They'd surely know my background, seeing how Charlie had been gushing news of my Stanford acceptance all over town.

The sky was overcast, the sun begging to be let through. I didn't understand how people survived in this environment. No sunlight makes for a depressing town. I walked for about twenty minutes until I reached the library. I walked in and found it to be empty, the shelves covered with old, tattered books. This library was in desperate need of an update.

I went to the card catalogue to begin my search for an interesting read. I decided that I would leave it to chance for what I'd be reading. I pulled open the catalogue and closed my eyes as I let my fingers run over the cards before stopping. I pulled the card out and took a look.

_Hmm…To Kill a Mockingbird. This could get interesting._

I had never read the book. Once I had learned what it was about, I was immediately turned off to the idea of reading it. But, since I was letting fate have it's way with me today, I took a chance. I found the shelf the book was located on. I scanned the books on the shelf before finding the book I'd been looking for. I pulled it down from its place.

_This has to be an original copy._

I opened the book and read the publishing date. It was the first edition. I found a seat in the back of the library and began reading. As I opened the book, the staleness of the library wafted across my face.

_Yes, definitely in need of an update! And some air freshener._

I lost track of all time and before I knew it, it was after four in the afternoon. I returned the book to the shelf, decidedly excited about returning to it tomorrow. I walked with my head down passed the front counter, peering at the librarian out the side of my eyes as I walked by. She was an older lady, with salt and pepper hair. I was sure she loved her job, as she was reading a book and looking blissfully peaceful.

As I reached the door, I stuck my hand out to pull it open. As I did this, the door came flying, full force, into my extended hand. I couldn't stop it before it hit me in the face.

_Holy Mother of Pearl! Shit that hurt!_

"Ow." I managed to squeak out through my hand that had immediately found its way to my face. I began to stumble backwards. As I did, my foot hit a rift in the carpet and down I went. I knew what was coming and braced myself for the impact.

Nothing.

I felt two hands grab me, right before I should have felt the impenetrable flexibility of the floor. Someone had stopped by fall. I was immediately brought back to my feet by the two sturdy hands. I hadn't removed my own hand from my face quite yet; the pain was still too bad.

"Are you alright?" I heard a velvety smooth male voice say. "I do apologize, I didn't know anyone would be on the other side of the door." He continued.

"You should be more careful." I snapped. I removed my hand from my face and looked down at it as I continued my tirade. "Doors shouldn't just be shoved open at full force like that you dum…" I lost my train of thought as my eyes focused and looked up at the unsuspecting face.

_Holy good God. I've died. I'm dead and this is heaven. _

I thought the blow to the head was causing my vision to go bad. There in front of me, stood the most gorgeous angel I'd ever seen. His hair was a deep honey color and messy. His skin, pale and smooth. As my eyes made their way to his topaz colored eyes, I caught the look of confusion on his face. All of a sudden I felt dizzy. My legs went weak and I lost my footing.

Again, like lightening, his hands reached out and grabbed me. This time, his arms wrapped around me as well. My body shuddered at his mere touch.

"Miss? Are you alright?" he asked.

"I don't feel so well." was all I could manage to get out.

In one quick motion, I'm not sure how, I was lifted off feet and cradled in his arms.

"I'm sorry. This is entirely my fault. I should get you to the hospital." he said.

My head still spinning and now distracted by his sweet scent, I tried to speak.

"I…ok…need…phone…Char…lie." was all I could mutter before passing out.

When I awoke, I was in the hospital, lying on a bed. My head was throbbing and my eyes were sensitive, trying to adjust to the light. I tried to sit up and get my bearings. I immediately felt a hand on my shoulder pushing me back down.

"Take it easy Isabella. You're in the hospital. You've got a nasty concussion and we're going to have to keep you overnight for observation." a man said.

I turned my head to see who was speaking to me. There stood a man who was just as pale as the man who had been at the library. He had the same color eyes, accept his were lighter. That was where the similarities ended. This man had blonde hair and his features were more delicate. He was wearing a button up shirt with blue strips with a white lab coat over it. On the pocket of the coat was a badge that read 'Dr. Cullen' with a picture next to above his name. He was a handsome man, but not as handsome as the man from before.

I groaned as I felt the stiffness in my neck. The door must have hit me harder than I initially realized. I raised my hand to massage my neck.

"How long was I out doc?" I asked the man.

"For a couple of hours." he replied.

"Ugh," I groaned. "I need to call my dad. He's going to be worried when he gets home and I'm not there." I looked at the doctor.

"No worries Isabella. We've already contacted the Chief and he's on his way. He should be here at any moment." he said, just as the room door opened.

"Bella! What happened?" Charlie said as he entered the room.

"I'm ok dad. Just a little run in with a door. I think the door won, but I put up a hell of a fight." I joked trying to lighten the severity of the mood. I chuckled and immediately regretted the action, as my head hurt more when I laughed. I winced in pain as Charlie looked across the bed and spoke to the doctor.

"Is she going to be alright Dr. Cullen? I hear your boy is the one who bought her in."

"Yes, she'll be fine Chief. My son bought her here promptly. She was knocked out for a couple of hours, but I think she'll make a full recovery. I would like to keep her here overnight just to be certain though." Dr. Cullen was now looking at me again, checking my vitals.

"Dad, I don't want to stay here. Please, can we just go home? You know how hospitals make my stomach turn. I'll sleep better in my own bed any way." I looked from Charlie to Dr. Cullen, waiting for his response.

Charlie looked at Dr. Cullen, who then looked back at me. I pouted to add to the effect of persuasion. Dr. Cullen sighed and shook his head.

"Okay, but only if you promise to return should you notice any blurriness, fatigue or dizziness. I'll write you a prescription for the pain." He jotted down some notes in my chart and handed Charlie a prescription for my medication.

Charlie took the piece of paper and nodded at the doctor. With that, Dr. Cullen exited the room. Charlie turned back to me and sighed. I could see the disappointment on his face, at the same time; there was relief there.

"Bella, you haven't even been in Forks 42 hours and already you're in the hospital. I hope this isn't indicative of what we have to look forward to this summer. I don't think my old heart could stand another call from the ER like that." Charlie looked down at me.

"Dad, I'm ok. I'll be more careful in the future. I was just lucky Dr. Cullen's son was there to bring me here." I said as I turned myself to the side of the bed with Charlie's help.

In all reality, if Dr. Cullen's son hadn't been there, I wouldn't have ended up here, but I couldn't tell Charlie that.

"Lucky indeed. I'll have to thank him." Charlie said.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I'll have to thank him too. Do you know his name?" I reached for the door and pulled it open.

"Well I believe Dr. Cullen has a few sons. They all attend Forks High School. I didn't bother to ask which one rescued you though." Charlie followed.

As we exited the hospital, my mind raced with thoughts of Dr. Cullen's son. My guardian angel. Why hadn't he stuck around? What was his name? Would I see him again, while I was here in Forks?

_Well let's see Bella, he's not really your guardian angel. Just a human being who happened to whack you with a door. Although for him, I think you should let him whack you again. All day and all night. That probably won't happen though, he's gone and you probably won't see him again._

My chest was all of a sudden heavy at the thought of not seeing him again. I had to find what his name was and thank him personally. I had to look in those beautiful golden eyes again.

My coming to Forks all of a sudden took on a new meaning. This town really wasn't so bad. It could offer me a lot, or at least one thing. Him.


	3. Chapter 3 Guise

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, but I do own my imagination of what if…_

_This is a Twilight redo …what if Bella had come to Forks after she graduated high school in Phoenix? Would she still end up meeting Edward and falling in love with him? Would they be star-crossed lovers after all?_

**Guise**

My neck was a little stiff when I awoke the next morning, but I shrugged it off. The warm shower that I'd taken had loosened up the muscles and provided some relief. It was Saturday. Charlie was off fishing with the boys and would be gone all day. He had offered the night before to stick around in case I needed anything, but I told him I would be fine. I could take care of myself. I was practically an adult…at least in the eyes of the law. I went down to the kitchen and made myself a bowl of cereal.

_You really need to pick up some decent morning food. This cereal shit could get old, very quickly._

I couldn't take my mind off of Dr. Cullen's son; his statuesque physique, his brilliant eyes. His strong touch. Every memory I had of him touching me made me shudder with pleasure. My body longed for him. Yearned for him. My desire for him burned so deeply that I had only one thought: _I had to find him_.

I poured the rest of my cereal down the drain, no longer hungry for food. I grabbed my jacket and the spare key; my key. I opened the door to exit the house. When I looked up, there was a figure standing in the doorway, which had been preparing to knock. Startled, I yelped and jumped backwards.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Jacob said.

"Yeah, well you did. Shit Jacob. You almost made me have another accident." I said, disgust clearly written on my face.

"I really am sorry Bella. I heard about your accident this morning from Charlie when he picked up my dad. I just came to check on you." He said with a sympathetic look in his eyes.

"I'm ok. Just a little knot and bruise." I replied, rubbing my head where the knot was. I hadn't realized, but I chuckled as I ran my hand over the injury. The memory of how I got it, holding the significance of today's mission.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing Jake. I'm just in a hurry. Thanks for checking on me though." I was in a hurry to return to the library.

"Where are you going? I can drive you." He stepped back and motioned towards his car.

_Oh great, just what I need: a tag-along on my journey to find my mystery man. On the other hand, maybe he might be good for information._

"Um, ok. I'm just going back to the library to finish a book I started yesterday. I like the Forks library. It's very quiet. No distractions." I smiled at myself for throwing that last bit in there. Hopefully he would get the clue and just drop me off, providing me with just enough time to probe for answers, while we were in the car.

"Oh, yeah. Sure, sure." He said, turning to walk towards the car. I followed.

"Hey, I thought you had a few more parts you had to get before this was finished." I said, looking at the car.

"Billy got the parts for me and surprised me with them after you and Charlie left on Thursday. I worked on it all day yesterday and some this morning. She seems to be running fine." He said with a proud smile on his face.

We both got in the car and Jacob started the engine. It sputtered at first, but then came to life, sending gentle vibrations through-out the car's frame. I didn't have time to waste, as I knew the library wasn't going to be a far drive. I had to strike now.

"So, my first full day in Forks and I ended up in the hospital. Isn't that funny?" I asked, trying to start my probing session.

"Yeah, Charlie always said you were talented in tripping over your own two feet." He laughed.

_Shut up asshole, you don't know me. Just because Charlie tells you something, doesn't mean anything._

"Yeah, well I was fortunate that someone was there to save me. I believe it was Dr. Cullen's son" I said, looking out the window, hiding the anticipation of a name, his name, that was written in my expression.

Silence.

I turned to look back at Jacob. He was gripping the steering wheel, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

"Jake, are you alright?" I asked, all of a sudden concerned that he had caught on to my plot.

"Did you say the Cullens?" he asked.

"Yeah. I was treated by Dr. Cullen last night at the hospital. He said it was his son who bought me in."

"You weren't bleeding from your injury were you?" He asked frantically while turning to take my face in his hand to look at my head.

I slapped his hand from my face. His grip was a little tight on my chin.

"No Jacob, but why does that matter? He took me to the hospital any way and I am fine." I didn't understand where his panic was coming from. He sighed and turned to face the road again.

"Nevermind," he said. "So which son was it?" He asked, but didn't take his eyes off the road.

_Ah, finally. Maybe if I describe him right, he'll tell me his name._

"I don't know." I replied nonchalantly. "I never had the opportunity to ask for a name, but he was young. He looked to be around my age and had dark messy hair with amber colored eyes."

"Hmph, well it's probably for the best. The Cullens are bad news. You'd do good to steer clear of them" he spoke with disgust in his voice.

His words told me I wasn't going to get many answers from him. At least not the one I truly wanted. He did, however, provide me with information that I had to research further. Why did Jacob perceive the Cullen's as a threat? We pulled in the parking lot of the library. Jacob was just about to park the car when I spoke up.

"No Jake, that's okay. You don't have to come in. I'd much prefer to be alone while I read." I said, no longer interested in not hurting his feelings.

I exited the car without another word, not even a glance back. I could tell my relationship with Jacob had the potential to get very muddy. He was cute, but already being too controlling, possessive and some what neurotic. Did he really think he could tell me who I could and couldn't be friends with? Just because his dad and Charlie were friends, close friends, did not mean that we were close enough for him to dictate my friendships.

I entered the library, completely annoyed. As I opened the door, I noticed the librarian in deep conversation with a beautiful young lady. She had a petite frame, her hair, as dark as the midnight sky, was cut short into a whimsical bob that flared up at the ends. Her skin was pale and her lips were the color of cherry blossoms. I hadn't realized I had stopped walking and that I was staring until the girl smiled at me and started to walk my way.

_Oh, shit. Bella, you're such a dunce. Now you have to explain why you were staring._

I moved forward, hoping that she would just pass me by to exit the library. No such luck.

"Hi, I'm Alice." She extended her hand for me to take.

"Uh, I'm Bella." I smiled coyly as I shook her hand. It was ice cold.

"Oh, so you're the chief's daughter. I was just asking the librarian about the girl who was taken to the hospital yesterday. She wasn't aware of anyone who fit the description I gave her."

_How could she be? She had her nose stuck in her book. The building could have come crashing down and I don't think she would have noticed._

Then again, maybe it was because I wasn't that noticeable. I had always just drifted through life, almost invisible if it hadn't been for my occasional clumsiness. In Phoenix, I was plain Jane, but here in Forks almost everyone knew me. As the chief's daughter, of course. So what could they really know? And who was this girl who knew about my accident?

_Ugh, I hate small towns._

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" I asked inquisitively.

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry; I have a tendency to talk to people like I've known them my whole life. I guess a little background would be helpful though. So as I said earlier, I'm Alice, Alice Cullen. My brother hit you with the door yesterday causing you to take a trip to the hospital, where I'm told my father treated you." She smiled at me.

_Finally, a link. If I play my cards right, I might be staring in the face of my angel by the end of the night._

My pulse sped up a little at the thought, causing my face to immediately flush red. With any luck, Alice would think it was just from the embarrassment of being easily injured. I couldn't let her know that the idea of seeing her brother again thrilled me beyond words. I smiled back at her and rubbed my head remembering the whole scene.

"Oh, right. It's nice to meet you Alice. Your father was really kind. He was an excellent doctor." I said trying to throw her off of what I really wanted.

"Yep, he's the best. Well, I should probably get going. It was nice meeting you Bella," she smiled and moved to step around me.

_No, she can't leave. Don't let her leave, not until you have a name. Say something quick!_

"Alice!" Her name escaped my mouth desperately.

_Great, now she's going to know you're desperate._

She turned around to face me. I cleared my throat and steadied myself to speak. "I'm sorry, it's just that I would really like to thank your father for patching me up and letting me go home yesterday. I really do hate hospitals and well…it was kind of him not to keep me for observation," I said.

"Well I'm sure you don't have to thank his, as it was his duty due to his medical oath," she smiled at me and I was caught in how beautiful she truly was. Just like her father and brother.

_Geeze, they really do make'em pretty at the Cullen residence._

"Yeah, you're probably right. Still it would be nice to thank him and your brother too," I answered hoping she wouldn't see through charade.

She chuckled a little then inhaled, "Well, if you insist on showing your gratitude, I'm sure my brother would be more than happy to accept." She looked into her purse and pulled out a tiny piece of paper and a pen. She scribbled something down. "There," she said and handed the paper to me, "you can mail a thank you card to that address or if you'd like to call; his phone number is there on the bottom."

I looked down at the paper and couldn't believe I was but a phone call away from my rescuer. My heart sped up at the realization. She had started to turn to walk away again, but I still didn't have what I needed.

"Alice!" I desperately screamed, yet again.

_This really has to stop. Get a hold of yourself girl!_

"Yes," she said. This time, only turning to look over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, its just that I didn't get your brother's name," I was done hiding my emotions. I had to have answers and the only way I would get them would be to stop beating around the bush.

She began to walk out the door and my heart skipped a beat at the realization that she was leaving without giving me a name. Then as she stepped outside the door, she turned and smiled at me.

"His name is Edward," she said as she released the door and began to walk away down the sidewalk.

I looked down at the piece of paper in my hand and smiled. Just then, I saw it. The last two numbers of his phone number were smudged. I made a mad dash for the door and ran outside.

"Hey, the last two numbers are…" my voice trailed off as I realized there was no one there. Odd, there hadn't been any cars in the parking lot when I got there besides Jake's and there was no way should could have walked out of sight that fast. Maybe I had stared down at the paper for longer than I'd realized.

"Ah, hell," I said as I walked back inside the library.

Oh well, at least I had his address. And a name. His name. Edward.


	4. Chapter 4 Incognito

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, but I do own my imagination of what if…_

_**Please review!** I would love to hear what everyone thinks and I am very much open to critique and constructive criticism. I guess I need to know if I'm on the right track...you know, is it interesting or are you losing interest.  
_

**Incognito**

The day had passed without incident, but also without the happenstance of me seeing Edward again. I'd thought Forks was a small enough town that I could easily look up the Cullen residence phone number. Unfortunately, that brilliant idea led to the discovery of the Cullens being unlisted.

_Well you do have his address; you could just go to his house and knock on the door._

Yeah right, that would work swell. I can just see it now…

"Hi, I'm Isabella Swan. I'm here to see Edward to thank him for saving my life." Then Edward would come to the door and I'd thank him. There'd be awkward silence as I gawked at his God-like physique and then he'd immediately think I was crazy.

_No, not such a good plan. Better come up with something else._

Well there was no time to dwell on the plan right now. I had to get dinner started for Charlie. He should welcome the change of having a home cooked meal waiting for him when he gets home.

Tonight we were having baked salmon with mashed potatoes and a side salad. Nothing fancy, but a far cry from cereal or peanut butter and jelly. I was just wrapping up dinner when I heard noises outside the kitchen window. I looked up from what I was doing to see nothing but darkness outside of the window.

_Its probably just Charlie parking the car. I better hurry and set the table._

I shifted into high gear and set the table, expecting Charlie to walk through the door at any minute. After the table had been set and still no Charlie, I started to get a little concerned.

_What if something happened to him outside in the driveway. Maybe he was too drunk to make it to the door on his own._

"Damnit Charlie! I didn't come here to take care of you the way I did Renee." I grabbed my jacket and headed to the front door. I pulled the door open, only to find the driveway empty.

_Hmm…_

The night was still, no wind, no insects…no movement. Then I got a feeling that sent chills down my spine. I was being watched.

_What kind of pervert would be lurking around the chief of police's house?_

I looked around to see if I could spot anything suspicious. Nothing. I closed my eyes and centered myself. Letting my 'sixth sense' lead me in the direction of the supposedly peeping Tom. Just then I felt something cold brush against my cheek. I quickly opened my eyes.

Still nothing. I reached up to touch my face. My cheek was still cold.

_What the hell?_

Completely freaked out, I turned and ran inside locking the door behind me. I then turned and ran for the back door to ensure it too was locked. I wasn't taking any chances. As I approached the sliding back door, I saw something move in the trees. Or were my eyes playing tricks on me?

I didn't care. At this point, I wasn't taking chances. I knew where Charlie kept his spare shotgun; I went to the cabinet and grabbed it. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, but I sure hoped it was loaded. Maybe just seeing the gun would be enough to make the freak run away.

_Oh you just wait you bastard, you're going to pay for fucking with me._

I went back to the door and unlocked it. I slowly slid it back waiting for the person to come storming out of the trees. Nothing. Gathering all of my courage, I yelled, "I'm not afraid of you, whoever you are. I'm coming to put an end to your stalking, you sick freak!"

I stepped out of the door and started walking towards the woods.

_Please let the gun be loaded, please let the gun be loaded, please let the gun be loaded._

As I got closer to the trees, all I could hear was the pounding of my heart beating. I was so loud, I'm sure every animal in the woods knew I was coming. I entered the woods expecting to find the offender beyond the initial shadows of the trees. Still…nothing.

I stopped and looked around, but all I could see was darkness.

"Come on Bella, get it together. You're more paranoid than usual." The sound of my words penetrated the stillness of the night again, making me realize how unusual the nothing was. Immediately, this chill ran down my spine again and I saw something flash out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't see anything, but I knew if something or someone was there, I had to make them afraid of me. I steadied myself, raising the gun in the direction of the movement. I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. The force of the shot hurled me backwards and I hit the ground with a thud, instantly banging my head on hard cold ground. And just like that, I was out.

I'm not sure, how long I was out. Drifting in an out of consciousness. Several things were apparent though. I had been lying in the woods what seemed like eternity. During that time, I gained consciousness briefly and met a pair of eyes that radiated liquid gold. I felt arms envelope me, as a voice whispered to me and I lost consciousness again.

During my time away from the waking world, I dreamed of him. He was every bit as handsome as I remembered from our brief encounter at the library. At this point, I wondered if I was remembering him correctly or if his image was just a figment of my imagination. Materialization of my supposed hero. However, I didn't care. For this moment, he was here and we were together in a field of wildflowers.

I was wrapped in his arms and I felt safe. I looked into his flaxen eyes and he smiled at me. He bent down and placed his lips right next to my ear. Speaking ever so softly, he whispered "Bella, you truly are the most radiant creature I've ever experienced. Stay with me. Be with me. Be mine, Bella Swan." My name echoed from his lips to my ears over and over again, until the echo changed from his voice to the voice of another.

Someone was calling my name and it sounded nothing like my fantasy Edward. The voice sounded oddly familiar though.

"Bella Swan, can you hear me," the voice was speaking to me. Then I felt a moan come from my throat and someone was grabbing my eyelids. They were pried open to reveal a bright penlight. Startled by the pain of my sensitivity to the light and the realization that I was moving on something that was rolling, I screamed.

_Where the hell am I?_

"What's going on? Where am I? Get away from me!" I was screaming like a hysterical person and fighting off everyone that was trying to hold me down. Then I felt a stabbing pain in the back of my head. I reached up to touch the area the pain was coming from. I felt a lump and a little bit of moisture. Surprised at the moisture, I pulled my hand back and realized it was blood. I started screaming even more hysterically, now at the top of my lungs.

"I need her sedated," I heard someone say.

_Oh God, I've been abducted by aliens. I was lying in the woods and they came and got me. I have to fight._

"No, don't touch me," I said kicking and screaming.

"Bella, it's going to be all right, you have to calm down or I won't be able to examine you," the familiar voice said.

I looked in the direction of the voice and realized it was Dr. Cullen. He was staring at me with a concerned look on his face. OH MY GOD, I'm at the hospital and he must think I've really lost my mind.

Suddenly I felt a sting in my left arm and all of a sudden I was out again.

I don't know how long I was unconscious this time, but I do know I had not dreams. Not even of Edward. I only awoke to a throbbing pain in my head. I had to squint my eyes a bit to let them adjust to the light.

When the finally adjusted, I looked around the room. It was much bigger than the room I was in the last time I was here. I saw a figure in a chair in the corner of the room. It was Charlie. I don't think he realized I was awake yet. I tried to say something, but my throat was dry. Nothing came out. I looked around for water, but didn't see any.

"Dad," I made a hoarse whisper. Charlie looked up and ran to my bedside.

"Bells, you're awake. Let me get Dr. Cullen. Hold on." Charlie ran to the door and opened it. He yelled down the hall, "She's awake, call Dr. Cullen." Charlie came back into the room, to my bedside.

"Bella, you scared the hell out of me. I got a call on my way home from fishing with the boys. They said you'd been admitted to the hospital with a nasty head wound. When I got here, Dr. Cullen told me they had to sedate you because you were hysterical and not acting quite right. What is it Bella? Is something going on with you?"

Charlie sounded as if he were on the verge of tears. Not even four full days in Forks, and I've landed in the hospital for the second time with another head injury. I mean sure, I was clumsy, but I never went to the hospital this much in six months when I was in Phoenix.

I was just about to apologize to him when Dr. Cullen walked in.

"Its good to see you're awake. You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling Bella?"

I tried to reply, but all I could manage was a squeak. I winced at the pain in my throat and point to my mouth in hopes to make a point for some moisture. Dr. Cullen went to the sink and grabbed a cup off of the counter. He filled it with water and returned to my bedside.

"Here," he said as he handed me the cup, "this should help with the dryness." I gulped it down in hopes of purging the desert that had somehow made its way into my mouth and down my esophagus.

After I finished it, I tried to clear my throat in an effort to speak. When I finally managed to get a word out, it was barely above a whisper. "I'm feeling better, but my head is still kinda sore." 'Kinda' was an understatement. It hurt like hell, but I couldn't show them just how much it hurt.

"Do you remember how you ended up unconscious in the middle of the street in front of your house?" Dr. Cullen gazed at me, puzzled.

_In the middle of the street? Don't you mean the woods? I was chasing a freak away from our house._

"I…I don't know. I don't remember running to the middle of the street. I was making dinner when I thought I heard my Dad pull up. I waited for him to come in, but he never did. I thought something might be wrong with him," I glanced at Charlie out of the corner of my eye. He was standing on the right side of my bed. I grabbed his hand to comfort him, although I know he thought I was seeking his comfort.

"when I got out side, there was nobody there. I had a feeling though. I thought someone was watching me. I don't remember much after that." I lied, knowing I knew much more, but I didn't want to tell them I had grabbed Charlie's gun and went into the woods.

I felt Charlie's hand tighten on mine. I looked to his face, but he was staring at Dr. Cullen. Dr. Cullen was staring at him with a knowing look in his eyes.

"She's fine Chief Swan. There was no evidence of foul play," he said as he looked back to me.

"It seems as though you passed out for some reason and hit your head on the pavement. Maybe a side effect from your initial head trauma. In any event, I'm keeping you here over night for observation." he said as he made notes in my chart.

I knew I couldn't talk my way out of a hospital stay this time. I was stuck, at least for tonight. Only one question, lingered. _How did I get here?_

"Dr. Cullen, I'm confused. You said I was lying in the middle of the street. How did I get here?"

"Well, that's probably the luckiest part of this whole ordeal. My daughter Alice and son Edward were driving back from a friend's house and you were lying in the road. If it hadn't been for Edward's intense concentration on driving, he would have hit you for sure," he gave me a half hearted smile.

_So he did save me! I was in his arms and I didn't even realize it._

Only I did realize it. I knew the truth. He hadn't found me in the street. He had found me in the woods. Stranger yet, he knew I was in the woods. Could he have been the one I was shooting at? Watching me? Waiting for me? I had to know.

"Are they still around? I'd like to thank them. Especially Edward for saving my life, twice now." I tried to sound a little upbeat.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over Bella, but I'll be sure to let them know of your gratitude," he said as he turned to walk out the door.

"Well maybe you could have them drop by tomorrow so I can tell them in person. It would really make me feel better. Besides, I have no friends yet and I can't think of a better way to make friends to than to thank someone for saving your life," I felt giddy at find my 'in'.

Dr. Cullen stopped to ponder my remark and answered, "You've got a point. I'll let them know you've requested their presence. Now get some rest, you've got quite a recovery ahead of you. Good night Chieft." He nodded at Charlie and turned to leave the room.

I didn't feel like getting into the whole story with Charlie right then, so I faked feeling sleepy. Charlie leaned down and gently kissed my forehead. I smiled and then closed my eyes. It wasn't long until exhaustion caught up to my reality and carried me away to my field.

Our field of wildflowers, where he whispered to me, "Soon my beautiful Bella. Soon we will meet face to face, properly."

I reveled as the thought carried me further into my dream state.


	5. Chapter 5 Encounter

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight, but I do own my imagination of what if…_

**A/N:** This Chapter is a bit longer as I got caught up in the logistics of everything. I hope you all enjoy it!

**Encounter**

"Good Morning Miss Swan, its time to take your vitals," I heard a voice exclaim. I didn't want to wake from my dream. Not yet. It felt like it had just begun and now I was being pulled from its security, back to reality where my body ached.

_Stupid hospitals. You can never get any rest here, let alone, have a good wet dream._

Could I call it that? Weren't wet dreams something guys only had? Well I had the female equivalent of a wet dream. I moaned at the memory and then remembered there was a nurse standing beside me.

I opened my eyes and was staring into the faces of a nurse and a candy striper. I hoped they didn't catch my moan of pleasure.

"Oh dear, are you in pain?" the nurse asked. "I can have Jessica go get the doctor so we can give you some extra pain meds."

_Oh great, they did catch my moan!_

Thank goodness they thought it was pain. I could redirect.

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm fine. It was just a little stiffness. I guess I was lying in the same position all night. " I looked around the room, "Have you seen my dad?" Charlie wasn't hovering as I expected him to be.

"I believe he got called away on official police business. It was an emergency and Dr. Cullen assured him you'd be fine here," the candy striper looked at me and smiled. She was a little over exuberant. "Oh and I'm Jessica by the way. I just graduated from Forks High School."

I smiled and nodded. I wasn't feeling well enough to make idle conversation. It was a new day. It was actually, The Day. I couldn't waste my energy on this girl. I had to save my strength for my meeting Edward.

"Well dear, your vitals look good, so we'll pass the information along to the doctor and he'll come to clear you. If you need anything, just hit the call button," the nurse noted my vitals in the chart and started for the door, the candy striper, Jessica, following close behind her.

"Oh, if you're cleared and need a ride home, I'll be happy to take you. My shift ends in an hour and a half so I'll come back to check on you," said Jessica.

Again, I smiled and nodded in an effort be rid of her. She just smiled back and exited the room. I was finally alone again. Now I could try and assess my situation and get myself straightened out before he came to see me.

I moved to the edge of my bed to try and sit up. Every muscle in my body screamed in pain. I fought through it. I had no time to deal with my body's roadblock, or was it a cock block? No matter, it was just another hurdle that I was going to sail over to get to my end result. Edward.

I made my way to my feet and shuffled over to the bathroom. I flipped on the light to see a toilet straight ahead of me. There was a mirror and sink to my left. I stepped in front of the mirror and almost screamed in horror.

_Why hadn't anyone told me I looked like death?_

I looked like I'd been through hell. My eyes had dark circles around them, my skin was pale and clammy and my hair looked as if tiny swallows had built a nest in on my head. I'm surprised nobody thought I was dying. I needed a shower.

I looked around the tiny bathroom, finding the shower behind the door. What an odd place for a shower stall. There were also towels and a bathrobe hanging on the back of the door. I turned on the shower to let the water warm. I went back to the sink and grabbed the packaged toothbrush and toothpaste sitting on the sink. I sat the toothbrush and toothpaste down, balancing them on the tiny soap dish just inside the shower.

I got undressed, which wasn't hard, since all I was wearing was a hospital gown. I climbed into the shower and immediately felt then tension melt away with the warmth of the hot water. As the beads of water rushed down my skin, my mind was instantly carried away to thoughts of Edward.

His hand gently caressing my back as he carried me, the strength of his arms sustaining me. I wanted to tell him how I feel, how he made me feel. I had never been in love, nor a believer in love at first sight, but something had me. It was grabbing me from the inside, in the pit of my stomach, hurling me towards him. I had no control, it felt right.

I'm sure if I told him any of this, he'd think I was crazy. That I'd fallen and bumped my head one too many times. He'd probably be right. I'd had two head injuries in the last three days, but oddly enough, he was at the center of one of them, possibly both.

_No, you have to stop this madness. He's just a boy and you've got other things in life to think about, you know…school._

Yes, no matter how much I wanted to be with him, I had to face reality. I would be starting school in a few months and I'd have to leave him. It made no sense to get attached. I shook my head free of my headache inducing thoughts and picked up the toothbrush and toothpaste. I proceeded to brush my teeth and wrap up my shower.

I reached down to turn off the water and squeezed the excess water from my hair. As I pulled back the shower curtain, I was staring face to face with a pair of brown eyes. I screamed at the top of my lungs in shock.

"I'm sorry Bella. I wasn't sure if this was the right room. I'm leaving now," Jake said. "I'm so sorry." He exited the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

I couldn't stop shaking; it wasn't because of fear though. My anger was boiling over. How dare he walk in on someone taking a shower? Who the hell did he think he was?

"Jake you idiot, you could have just asked if it was me or not." I yelled through the closed door.

"I know Bella, I'm so sorry. I should have. I guess I wasn't thinking. I promise you I didn't see anything," he said clearing his throat at the end.

I wasn't convinced. I knew he saw something, I just wasn't sure of how much. Still fuming, I wrapped my hair in the towel and pulled down the robe from the door. I opened the door and walked back into my hospital room.

Jake was sitting in the chair in the corner of my room. Where Charlie had been the night before. I thought he would have been back by now. I gave Jake my best scowl. He looked at me and then immediately hung his head and looked down at his lap.

"I'm sorry Bella, I really am. Charlie called my dad and asked that I pick you up if Dr. Cullen released you," he said, still looking down at his lap.

Charlie must have been working something very important if he sent Jake to get me. Then again, he was the Chief of police. Forks wasn't a big enough town to have a large police department.

I sighed.

"Well, you don't have to hang around. Dr. Cullen hasn't come in to see me yet, so I don't know when I will be getting out of here. "

As if he'd heard me, Dr. Cullen walked into the room.

"Bella, you should be out of bed. I haven't cleared you yet," he said, walking over to help me back into bed. He sat me down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry doctor. I thought if I took a shower, I might feel better," I said innocently.

"Well let's see if you've done more damage. Mr, Black, will you excuse us? I have to examine her," he was looking at Jake.

Jake nodded and walked towards the door. "If you need anything Bella, I'll be right outside." Jake closed the door behind himself.

I turned to face Dr. Cullen who was checking my glands while looking out the window over my head. He was a remarkable man. He was a slender man, with blond hair and amber eye, just like his son's. His skin was milky white and smooth, his facial features very defined. While he didn't looking a day over 30, the way he carried himself suggested he was wise beyond his years.

He moved hands from my neck to the back of my head. I instantly felt an urge to turn my head so that the back was in his sight.

"Looks like you're starting to heal. I'm hesitant to send you home though," he paused and took a deep breath. "How are you feeling?"

I turned to face him now, knowing I didn't want to stay in this hospital not one minute longer, but realizing that I still hadn't seen Edward.

"I feel okay, but definitely not one hundred percent. Maybe I should just lay here a bit longer." I said as I began to move back to rest comfortably on the bed. Dr. Cullen looked at me questioning eyes.

_Please don't let him read into this. I can't have him know that I'm secretly obsessing over his son._

"Well I thought you would have been eager to get out of here. If I remember correctly, you didn't seem to want to stay the last time you were here. So I assume you have an aversion to hospitals. Although they don't seem to have an aversion to you," he said with a smirk on his face.

_Aw, crap._

"Well, I would like to get home to my own bed, but only if you think I'm okay," I said meekly.

"I think you'll be fine. Besides, young Mr. Black is waiting outside to take you home. So I know you'll make it there safely. I also happen to know that your father is out on a very important case right now that might take a little longer than expected, so I've told my son and daughter to stop by in a couple of hours to check in on you," he said, while he made notations in my chart.

My heart skipped a beat at hearing that last bit of information. My mind raced and I started to shake with anticipation.

_I have to get out of here and get home. Hurry up and release me man! _

"Oh, well I guess you should send me home. I'd hate to have my guests show up to my house and me not be there." I said, scooting back towards the edge of the bed.

Dr. Cullen laughed, "Okay, if you're up to it. You're free to leave. The nurse will come in and take you out to the car. Let's hope I don't see you in here again anytime soon."

"No sir, I've had enough of hospitals for this year. I think I've filled my quota." I responded.

He chuckled and walked towards the door, "Have a nice afternoon Bella." With that, he was out the door.

I hurried to find some clothes. Where were my clothes? I checked the cabinet by the door and found a bag with fresh clothes in it.

_Thank God Charlie was more responsible than Renee!_

I found an old pair of jeans and a black t-shirt in the back, along with a pair of old All-Star sneakers. I slipped everything on so fast that I didn't realize I was wearing my t-shirt inside out until I got ready to walk out the door. I quickly slipped it off and flipped it to the right side.

I opened the door to find Jacob standing right outside to the left of the door.

"Hey Jake, I'm ready. I need to get home so I can lay down, so let's get going." I said as I walked down the hall towards what looked like the elevators.

"Shouldn't we wait for the nurse to come wheel you to the car?" He asked inquisitively.

"No, I'm fine enough to walk on my own, but need to hurry before I don't feel so sure." I said, trying to set the stage for me being left alone at my house. I didn't want to get there and have Jacob linger.

I felt him grab my arm. "Well here let me be your support. If you start to feel like you're about to pass out, I can just carry you the rest of the way." He smiled down at me.

He really did have a beautiful smile. His skin was a deep russet color and his eyes were warm and friendly. If I didn't have my mind already set on another, I could find myself being attracted to Jacob.

We rode the elevator down and walked out of the hospital to his car. He opened the door and helped me inside and I gave him my best smile. I really just wanted him to get in the car and floor it. All the way home, all I could think about was making my place presentable for the arrival of Edward. I wasn't sure of the state of the house, if Charlie had cleaned up dinner from the other night. If he hadn't, the house would surely smell like fish. There was no easy way to get rid of that smell right away.

As we approached the house I felt butterflies build in anticipation of my meeting Edward. I was so excited that I almost let out a giddy squeak. Remembering where I was though quickly squelched any giddy outbursts. Jacob got out to come around and help me out of the car. We walked up the sidewalk to the door. I reached down and looked under the flowerpot for my key. Just as I suspected, Charlie had left my key in just the right spot.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open. I then turned to Jacob and gave him a big smile.

"Thank you so much for bringing me home Jacob. You've been awfully nice. I guess I'll see you later," I gave him a hug and turned to enter the house.

"Oh you're welcome Bella. You know, I'm going to stay to make sure you're really okay." He said as he began to push his way into the house. I stopped him with my hand.

"No Jake, that's okay. I'm going to go to sleep now and I don't really feel comfortable with guys in the house while I'm taking a shower and getting ready for bed. Especially a guy who's already seen me in the shower once today."

Jacob hung his head and replied, "Oh, yeah, well I'm sorry about earlier. I just want to make sure you're going to be okay though."

"I'll be fine. I'm not leaving my house. I'm just going to get some rest. How about I call you later?" I said trying to give him incentive to leave by having something to look forward to.

His face brightened and he smiled at me, "You promise? Because if not, I'll just be right back up here to check on you."

"I promise! Now go, so I can get some rest," I said pushing him towards his car.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later," he said climbing into his car.

I watched as he started the engine and back out of the driveway. I watched until he disappeared down the street and around the corner. I closed the door to the house and ran upstairs. I went into my closet and picked out a nicer pair of jeans and a nice blouse. I laid them out on my bed.

I had already taken a shower today, but one could never be too clean in situations such as this. I quickly hoped in the shower making sure to use my strawberry scented shampoo and conditioner. I got out of the shower, towel drying my hair and heading to the sink to brush my teeth, yet again.

I then ran back to my room and took out a matching bra and panty set from my dresser. I hurried getting dressed, knowing I'd have to clean up downstairs. I started to head toward the stairs.

_Oh crap, you forgot to put on deodorant. You're going to need that if you're going to be running around the house like a damn fool._

I ran back to the bathroom and applied my deodorant. I then ran down the stairs and straight for the kitchen. I looked around and was amazed that none of the food was still sitting out.

_Yes! I knew I could count on you Charlie._

I did notice that there were a few dishes in the sink that needed to be washed. A welcome task knowing nothing more needed to be done. I proceeded to wash the dishes in hot soapy water. I didn't realize how hot, until I almost scalded my hand.

_Slow down, you damn near burned your hand off. You would have been back in the hospital for sure, but this time for observation. _

I'm sure if I ended up back in the hospital, people would think I was trying to kill myself. I leaned against the kitchen sink with my hands resting on both sides and took a deep breath. I just needed to calm down. Soon enough, I'd be staring into the eyes of Edward and I'd finally have a chance to thank him. It wouldn't help if I were to act like a crazy person. I'm sure then, the visit would be short lived.

I finished washing the dishes and was just putting the last plate in the dish rack, when I heard a knock at the door. I looked at the clock on the stove. I hadn't been home for a full hour yet. They were early.

I dried my hands and made my way toward the door. I stood in front of the door and looking down, smoothed my clothes and hair. I reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly pulling open the door.

My eyes immediately met a pair of deep honey colored eyes. I breath caught as I heard the words, "Hello Bella."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I promise, it's so worth it. :) Thanks to those of you who have favorite this story. I so 3 you! Please review!


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